AAP condemns contractor for Zuari scaffolding collapse

14 Mar 201905:37am IST

14 Mar 201905:37am IST

Questions why there has been no reaction from any government officials on the incident

Team Herald

MAPUSA: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has condemned the contractor for the collapse of the scaffolding erected for a span of the new Zuari Bridge before concrete was poured.

Addressing a press conference at Mapusa on Wednesday evening, AAP Spokesperson Valmiki Naik said it was only through divine providence that the incident did not lead to any fatalities. And showing photographs taken at the site, he demonstrated that the chance of for further collapse and serious risk to commuters still remains.

AAP leader Sunil Signapurkar questioned why there has been no reaction from any government official on the matter. “Safety norms appeared to have been blatantly violated, with no sturdy fencing provided to separate the construction area from the adjoining traffic. Neither has there been any analysis of the damage to the existing piers already constructed due to the collapse. It is a matter of chance that the weak scaffolding collapsed now and not during pouring of concrete, which would have been a bigger disaster,” he said.

Naik alleged that the press note issued by Dilip Buildcon raises more questions than it answers. “How could soil displacement from the adjoining excavated hillock cause the scaffolding to fall towards the hillock? Is Dilip Buildcon guaranteeing that further soil displacement will not occur? In case of further soil displacement, the remainder of the scaffolding still has a probability of falling towards the road, posing a serious threat to life of commuters. The collapsed scaffolding fell on a truck-mounted crane which is fully extended to about 20 mtrs, which still has a possibility of toppling over into adjoining traffic,” he said.

Earlier, AAP had questioned the government and Dilip Buildcon on the plans to make a diversion at the cost of Goan taxpayer money, even though the Zuari bridge project was awarded as an EPC contract (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) and safety was the contractor’s sole responsibility.

According to AAP, Dilip Buildcon has close links to BJP and it is well known. “If infrastructure projects in Goa are being given to favoured contractors of the party even at risk to the lives of ordinary Goans, there can be no bigger confirmation of the scale of BJP’s corruption.”

How can Goans expect a contractor who cannot even erect a scaffolding properly, to erect a safe bridge that will be main link between north and south Goa?” AAP asked.

AAP demands that an FIR be immediately registered against Dilip Buildcon.